This is the very last day of our stay in Athens and we spend time the whole day with our children. It is unbelievable but we now have a new infant in the family. He is Yianni junior and I love taking him in my arms. Of course the other three kids are amazing and I still cannot believe that I have in such little time become a 'granny'! I believe the most beautiful word in the world even better than the word ‘Mum’ is to hear your grandchild calling you ‘Granny’. It is a wonderful feeling believe me. Of course I don’t feel being that old as I am very active and I believe there are so many things I still want to achieve before getting that old.

Anyway, the very last night of our stay in Athens before flying to Doha we arranged visiting my favourite Vegetarian Restaurant ‘Avocado’ . I give below my review as it appears on different sites on the net.

The creation of this restaurant started some years back when the Avocado Team came together and created the first project in Greece, NYSY Yoga and Pilates Studios which are found right across the street where the Restaurant is. Suddenly out of the blue one day the idea of creating this nice spot was born. The aim was and always is to serve with the highest quality of fresh delicious food, organic coffee and teas, juices that are truly alive. The philosophy is to include mainly organic and local produce as possible. The dream and vision of this Team was to create a positive community nourished by delicious and healthy food and they have succeeded it because by now the restaurant has become one of the most popular in Athens and I consider it the best Vegetarian restaurant in the whole of Attica.

It might be the 5^th or 6^th visit here and I keep coming back as the restaurant is in the shopping area where I come every time I visit Athens . When I am on my own and spare some time I drop by to say hi to my friends and have one of the most reviving drinks that I love, the ‘Ginger Passion’. It gives me the energy I need to cope with the many hours spent outside in the streets of Athens. It is a mixture of fresh carrot, apple, ginger and beet juice. The cost is 4.70 euros.

Two of my favorite smoothies are the "Mango Lassi" which is a Traditional Indian drink made with mango, yoghurt, brown sugar and cardamom (5.70) but if you drop by don’t miss trying the “Avocado Dream” (5.50) which besides the avocado it has coconut oil, honey and of course one can choose the kind of milk he wishes to dilute it with (cow’s milk, soy, or almond milk).

We arrived at the restaurant early to have time ahead to enjoy our meal. You see it is not the kind of restaurant where one can stay after midnight like other restaurants in Athens. Those planning to come here should have in mind that it is open from Monday to Saturday from 11:00 am till 10:00 pm . On Sunday it opens from 11:00 am till 7:00 pm.

The restaurant is surprisingly full despite the economic crisis in Greece. Four friends enjoy their meal in the seating outer area and I guess the smile on their face is a proof that they are having a good time. I guess a value restaurant never loses its customers and Avocado stands out and year after year becomes better and better. It seems that passionate vegetarians appreciate the good quality of food offered here but it is also the ambience, the simplicity of style and soft colors of the interior décor that create a pleasant atmosphere, the amazing service that make it so popular, not counting the positive energy that is in the air and one can feel it the moment he steps inside. For me it is like visiting a friend’s house. The restaurant might not be that big but the seating plan provides a comfortable space so that customers can have an enjoyable meal any time of the day, or have a quick snack in the morning or later on in the afternoon .

Well, tonight we are here to taste some new dishes which I noticed on the menu catalogue on my last visit and I am anxious to see if they will meet my expectations again this time. Although my husband is after meat, he joins me without complains because he too can distinguish the good quality and taste.

Well we start our meal with a new appetizer on the list which has a challenging name and which we loved. It is called “Creative Fire”. It is authentic bean patties with tomatoes, peppers, herbs and spices served with avocado in mint sauce (cost 5.00 euros). We tried the “Harmony” which is a velvety mousse made from lentils, caramelized onions and fresh colorful peppers. It reminded me of the Cypriot ‘Moutzentra’ and I found it very tasty. The caramelized onions on top make the difference indeed and I wished there were some more on top. (cost 4.00)

We had the Gaon Curry Soup this time, while other times we would ask for the amazing Dahl, the traditional Indian lentil and mung bean soup with herbs and spices (6 .50). This new soup was also very tasty. It is Goa’s famous coconut curry soup with black eyed beans (mavromatika) herbs and spices. (cost 6.50)

From the 6 different dishes that include Rice, grain and veggies we always loved the Om Shanti which is a mixed vegetable curry with coconut milk and rice. (cost 8.00 euros)

This time however I picked the Bhakti Risotto (cost 9.50) and Yianni had the Veggie Yin Yang. (cost 6.50)

The first one is an Italian porcini risotto based on Avocado’s vegetable broth, topped with parmesan. The Veggie Yin Yang on the other hand has stir fried seasonal vegetables with ginger and soy sauce and if served with Basmati rice it costs a euro more. (I get ideas for my own cooking recipes from this restaurant I have to admit).

Vicky my friend brought me a very small portion of the new Forest Burger to taste (cost 8 .70) which I found very interesting as well. She insisted that I had to taste it because she trusts she said my opinion. Burger funs would love it! It is a classic mushroom parmesan pattie burger with tomato, onions, cheese and lollo served with smoked pepper and caper sauce. (I urge you to try it and I bet it will become very popular this year).

I accompanied my meal from the list of House wines with the Red Organic wine which is simply amazing. It has a soft aroma, a nice colour and fine taste. A glass costs 4.00 and the half litre 8.00. My husband had the Zeos non-pasteurised unfiltered Pilsner beer instead, for the first time. A 1 litre bottle costs 8.50. I tried it too out of curiosity and I can say it is different from the rest I had and surely worth to give it a try.

We finished our meal with the new Carrot cake (5.00) A moist mixture with grated carrots, pineapple, raisins, banana, nuts and a cream frosting . I found it ok but I would have preferred to feel the carrot in my tongue.

It is amazing how the team works providing the highest standards and Allan Ramesh the cook seems to work miracles in his small tiny kitchen on the first floor. Have in mind that smoking is prohibited here, and Internet connection is free. I consider the Avocado restaurant my little oasis and a miniature paradise in the jungle of Athens. I urge people to come here and taste the new menu which was beyond our expectations satisfying and very tasty. Mind you, the portions are nicely presented and they are huge.

In all it was another great outing and I highly recommend it not only to Vegetarians and Vegans but to anyone who is after the good nutrient food.

The remaining food left on the plates is nicely packed and you can carry at home, but we were pleased to hear that 8 to 10 poor people of Athens are fed free from the Avocado on a daily basis. Thanks guys for your professional service and good-will. I look forward to returning.